1. Field of Use
This invention relates generally to equipment for attaching terminals to both ends of a wire segment to form a wire lead.
In particular, it relates to such equipment having apparatus for axially shifting a relatively long wire segment in a belt type conveyor so that first one end and then the other end of the wire segment is accessible to terminal attachment machines located on opposite sides of the conveyor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many industries manufacture products using electrical wire leads which take the form of cut segments of insulated wire, stripped at both ends, and then provided with terminals at both of the stripped ends. The wire segments are typically manufactured on a high speed linear feed cutting and stripping machine which cuts the segments from a continuous strand of wire moving along a path. Cutting and stripping usually occur simultaneously. The cut and stripped wire segments are individually siezed and transported by conveyor means from the cutting and stripping machine to wire processing machines which perform operations such as tinning, twisting, terminal attachment and so forth on opposite ends of the segment. In the case of relatively long wire segments it was heretofore necessary to provide conveyor means which comprised a pair of laterally spaced apart chain type conveyors, each one gripping and supporting the wire segment near an end thereof. Some prior art chain type conveyors typically employ an endless chain reeved around longitudinally spaced apart sprockets and the chain is provided at intervals therealong with wire gripping devices or jaws which close and open automatically at appropriate intervals to grip and then subsequently release the wire segments conveyed. Relatively complex mechanisms are required to operate the jaws. Such prior art conveyors are costly to produce and present certain problems in use. For example, moving metal parts in the chain, jaws and operating mechanisms are subject to wear and mechanical breakdown. Further, the mass and operational characteristics of the chain and associated components impose upper limits on conveyor speed. Also, the wire gripping devices or jaws can damage the insulation of the wire section held thereby, resulting in an unsightly product or one prone to subsequent electrical failure. Efforts to line the jaws with protective surface materials add to the cost and complexity of the conveyor and its maintenance. It is desirable, therefore, to provide an improved type of conveyor and improved apparatus for use therewith to handle and process relatively long wire segments.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 363,968 now U.S. Pat. No. 9,502,586 entitled "Belt Type Conveyor For Conveying Wire Segments" and filed Mar. 31, 1982, by R. O. Dusel and G. E. Blaha, inventors of the subject matter of the present invention, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application and is copending herewith, discloses and claims an improved belt type conveyor for conveying wire segments and also discloses and broadly claims an embodiment thereof which is provided with apparatus for axially shifting a relatively long wire segment in a belt type conveyor so that first one end and then the other end of the wire segment is accessible to terminal attachment machines located on opposite sides of the conveyor. The shifting apparatus in Ser. No. 363,968 employed first and second shifter means (and first and second belt flight separator means), each of which shifter means employed a pair of vertically shiftable driven separable rollers for gripping and shifting a wire segment.
Since the wire segments moved along a horizontal path and the rollers rotated about vertical axes, it was necessary to employ means to vertically shift (i.e., raise and lower) the rollers to enable engagement with the wire segments. For example the first pair of rollers needed to be lowered while a wire segment moved into position thereabove, whereupon the pair of rollers (while open) were raised so that the wire segment was disposed therebetween. After this the rollers were closed to engage the wire segment, and the belt flight separated to free the segment for axial shifting by the driven rollers. After shifting the rollers were separated and again moved to lowered position to accommodate the next segment. The second pair of rollers in Ser. No. 363,968 operated in a similar manner.